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Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

MikeAK
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-12-2013

Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Hi wondering if someone from PlusNet can help with getting information from Openreach about repeated FTTC delays in my area. I can't get any info from Openreach, they are completely opaque to end users.
I am on Darwen exchange (LCDAR) cabinet 24, however it seems that it is not just my cabinet that is delayed but at least the whole south side of Darwen.
Below is a summary of the events so far.

When I first used the cabinet checker installation was due to be completed 30/09/13.

Estimated date 30/09/13 - date missed, re-estimated 31/12/13.

Around October/November 2013 green fibre cabinet installed with excavations and ducting to PCP and power completed.

Estimated date 31/12/13 - date missed, re-estimated 31/03/14.

Estimated date 31/03/14 - date missed, re-estimated 30/09/14.

Estimated date 30/09/14 - date missed, re-estimated 31/03/15!

Estimated date 31/03/15 - Who knows!

31/03/15 is around 18 months delay from the first date of I saw of 30/09/13 and around 16 months from when the fibre cabinet was installed.

Estimated dates were obtained from the “BT Broadband Availability Checker”  http://www.dslchecker.bt.com
I'm happy to provide phone number and postcode to a PlusNet representative if required
Thanks
Mike
8 REPLIES 8
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Hi there,
I've found out what we can for you. Whilst we can't tell you much more I'd still firmly see this as good news, or at least the absence of bad news Smiley
Whilst some dates have been pushed back it's worth keeping in mind that other cabs closer to the exchange than yours (i.e cab 10 is one of them) is being enabled this month.
So keeping that in mind as part of the broader plan and that we've not been made aware of any cabs withdrawn from fibre planning fibre will still be on it's way to you.
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
MikeAK
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-12-2013

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Adam,
Thanks for the info. At least work is being done in the area so hopefully we will see FTTC before March 15.
Does your information give you the location of cabinet 10 then I can see where it is in relation to my cabinet?
Thanks
Mike
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
Thanks: 882
Fixes: 221
Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Quote
Does your information give you the location of cabinet 10 then I can see where it is in relation to my cabinet?

No, what I'm able to see is a list of all the exchanges and associated cabs with dates set for being upgraded. However a walk around the block should give you an idea as some but not all fibre cabs have their number printed on them
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
MikeAK
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-12-2013

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Hi again,
Thanks, I will have a walk around tomorrow. None of the new fibre cabinets I noticed so far seem to have numbers on them, but the associated PCPs mostly do. Am I correct in assuming that the fibre cabs all have the same number as the PCP?
Thanks again
Mike
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
Posts: 16,871
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Quote
Am I correct in assuming that the fibre cabs all have the same number as the PCP?

If it has a number (I noticed when thinking about this on the way to work that the one nearest to me doesn't) then we'd assume they correspond to each other.
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
chenks76
All Star
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Registered: ‎24-10-2013

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

i've seen many fibre cabinets and none have had any distinguishable numbers on them.
usually just a plain green cabinet with a 240V sticker on it.
it also may not be next to the PCP. they can be a short distance away from them. sometimes across the road, around a corner etc etc.
AndyH
Grafter
Posts: 6,824
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Registered: ‎27-10-2012

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

@ MikeAK - Have you tried speaking to Superfast Lancashire? They might be able to give you some more info.
MikeAK
Dabbler
Posts: 12
Registered: ‎11-12-2013

Re: Can some one from Plusnet help (a Plusnet customer) with fibre delays

Hi again,
As suggested above I emailed Superfast Lancashire and also Openreach (again). I got a very similar PR style reply of "Installing fibre is a complex project..." but no real information.
I replied to both asking if they could supply they could supply any more information as to the continually slipping forcasts.
I got a one line reply from Openreach saying there is problems with collapsed ducts.
A much better responce fro Superfast Lancashire below
Good Morning Mike
Thanks for your enquiry. Yes you are correct the dates have slipped and progress on deploying the network to Darwen has taken significantly longer than expected.
To explain in more detail, a large number of blocked and collapsed ducts have been identified on both the 15km fibre spine route (which runs from Blackburn) and on the individual fibre routes feeding individual cabinets. A lot of work has been completed over the past couple of months and cabinets have now started going live.
However we still have something in the region of twenty five blockages and three new ducts that need building, as well as a segment of network that needs rolling traffic management to both test the duct routes and then cable. An additional complication is that many blockages have been found to be in the “zone of interest” – this is effectively a safety zone around National Grid pipelines and requires additional authority to dig in.
This particular cabinet is built and powered, and is therefore just waiting on the network completion as outlined above.
I hope my reply explains the situation. As you can see we have a lot to get through but we are hoping to complete significant parts of Darwen by the end of the year.
Thank you for your interest in our project and please keep an eye on our availbility checker which will be updated as our rollout begins.
With Kindest Regards
Judith

I wonder why they don't publish this information on the website (both Openreach and Superfast Lancashire) the above are reasonable and understandable reasons for unpredictable delays. I'm sure they would be seen in a better light by the public if they did, rather than the current faceless unaccountable bureaucratic image they currently seem to have.
Anyway over the last few days I have seen a few of the Openreach vans with the trailers with reels of fibre duct in town, gradually moving towards this end of town. So maybe I will have fibre by Christmas,fingers crossed.
So if anyone else is suffering delays it may be worth an email to Openreach or your local equivalent of Superfast Lancashire. It won't make it come any faster but you may get a proper reason for the delay and a sensible estimate for installation.

Mike